This invention relates, generally, to a chip carrier socket and contact and, more particularly, to a chip carrier socket which provides an extremely short contact length while providing extremely high contact mating forces.
Attendant with higher density and higher speed chip carriers is the need to keep contact lengths short so as to minimize capacitive, inductive and resistive effects which may introduce errors into the system. Heretofore, however, most schemes which attempt to utilize circuit paths have overall contact lengths which do introduce some adverse effects but which are generally necessary so as to obtain proper member lengths for force or moment arm purposes. Examples of these types of contacts may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,238 entitled "Integrated Circuit Package Connector" issued Sept. 14, 1982 to Showman et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,433 entitled "Active Device Substrate Connector" issued July 27, 1982 to Cherian et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,727 entitled "Connector for a Leadless Electonic Package" issued June 15, 1982 to Sheingold et al.
It would be advantageous to have a device which accomplishes extremely short contact or circuit path lengths while not having an overall contact length which is considerably longer than the circuit path.
It would also be advantageous to have a device which provides sufficiently high contact mating forces such that tin or another non-precious metal may be utilized on the surface of the contact.
Also advantageous would be a device which is relatively inexpensive as well as easy to manufacture. Such a device is taught by the present invention.
Accordingly, the present device teaches and as an object of the invention a chip carrier socket comprising a chip carrier having conductive leads, a contact for providing electrical communication from the conductive leads therethrough, a base plate profiled to receive the chip carrier and having a plurality of upstanding housing latch members, with the contact extending through the base plate and being disposed adjacent the conductive leads with a retainer profiled to be placed over the chip carrier and the base plate with recesses therein for complementary latching engagement with the upstanding housing latch members, characterized in that the retainer has a cavity therein and a plurality of flexible arms or fingers in corresponding engagement with the conductive leads and a spring carrier disposed in the cavity for resiliently urging the flexible arms or fingers inwardly towards the conductive leads so as to cause contacting mating force between the conductive leads and the contact.